With the Berlin wall being erected in 1961 it meant east and west Berlin were separated, east controlled by Soviet Russia and West controlled by western superpowers America and England. With both sides of the wall being heavily guarded to prevent escape, the two superpowers had to have a place where they could meet. As well as allowing foreigners and officials over the boarder. This place was and is known as Checkpoint Charlie and it was located in Friedrichstadt which is a neighborhood in the heart of Berlin. Only foreigners and Diplomats were able to cross over between east and west Berlin on a maximum one-day visa, it became know as “the exchange point for spies”.
Perspectives & Implications:
There were few implications due to Checkpoint Charlie but it was the location of the biggest standoff during the cold war. On October 27, 33 Soviet tanks rolled up to the Soviet fence and 10 proceeded onto Checkpoint facing off with American tanks for the first time in the cold war. Tank cannons were loaded and guns loaded ready to fire awaiting orders, which caused great tension. After a 16-hour standoff Soviet tanks stood down, followed by U.S. tanks. This provides great perspective about how the east and west felt about each other and Checkpoint Charlie. Both the U.S. and the Soviets saw Checkpoint Charlie as a mutual point where goods can be brought in an out and a place to keep the peace and allow travel throughout both parts of Berlin.
SOURCE 2:
This source came from https://www.army.mil/article/46993 and it was posted on the 22nd of October in 2010, it is an image depicting the tensions between Russia and Western powers during the cold war. Where 20 tanks faced of at each other at Checkpoint Charlie for 16 and half hours at the height of the two countries tensions in 1961. The feud/standoff was settled after neither of the countries receiving orders to fire, the first tank was withdrawn by the Soviets. This source provides great insight into how close the U.S.S.R and the U.S.A were to war.
SOURCE 3:
This source was produced by, http://www.blog.oneholidayrentals.com/checkpoint-charlie/ and it was posted on the 20th of August 2014. This source is an image of a sign a Checkpoint Charlie, in multiple languages it says “you are leaving the American sector” which shows the divide between the east and the west of Berlin. This also shows that people were allowed to cross over from either side of Berlin, all the “tourists” needed to provide was a Visa and a Passport. Only foreigners were allowed to cross the boarder, no Germans were allowed to cross the boarder.
This source is a video on YouTube, which was published to YouTube on the 18th of May 2009. This source is a video explaining the standoff between the U.S. and U.S.S.R providing a real insight in to how high the tensions were. “engines running cannons loaded” at any minute if a soldier lost their nerve this may have been the beginning of WW3. It also shows video of the two countries standing off which provides perhaps a little better insight than what source two does.
This source is a video on YouTube from 1984, which films the Berlin wall and Checkpoint Charlie from the eastern side of the wall. It is filmed in Berlin during the cold war. It shows great insight into what it was like living on the eastern side of the wall. There is constantly military around, patrolling the checkpoint even though tensions had died down. This source provides a great insight as to what it was like in Berlin during the cold war.
SOURCE 6:
This source was produced by http://blog.allmyfaves.com/history/25-photos-for-25-years-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/ and it was posted on the 11th of November 2014, this source is image that provides a before and after image of Checkpoint Charlie. The location of Checkpoint Charlie is in Friedrichstadt, Berlin it depicts how Berlin has changed in over 50 years, it shows how tense things were at the height of the cold war to now, the bustling tourist destination in the heart of Berlin, that Checkpoint Charlie is now.
Bibliography
Notes
Cold War Almanac: Volume 2
By Sharon M. Hanes & Richard C. Hanes
Published 2004
Very credible as it is a published book by Historians, but it does not provide much information about Checkpoint Charlie. Was not very useful.
COLD WAR
By Jeremy Isaacs & Taylor Downing
Published 1998 by Bantam Press
Very credible as it is a published book by Historians, providing sufficient information, about Checkpoint Charlie. It provided 3 pages’ worth of information about the must know about Checkpoint Charlie plus more. It also provided a map of Berlin during the cold war. Very useful source.
Even though this source is a .com it is very reliable as it is from the History channel, which usually has their information presented by respected Historians. The source provided lots of useful information about Checkpoint Charlie’s historical significance, which was very useful.
This source is pretty reliable, providing little useful information about Checkpoint Charlie’s historical significance. Rather providing lots of information about the bustling tourist destination that it has become. Source was useful
A website that is slightly unreliable as it is only a .com but provides lots of useful, basic information on Checkpoint Charlie. Was a useful sight for the basics but nothing more.
A YouTube video which provides information from both Russian and American sources. It explores some of the tensions that arose because of and at Checkpoint Charlie. Useful source with good insight.
Q1) “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)
To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
The definition of a cold war is a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular. Which is exactly what it was between the Western Powers and the U.S.S.R from 1947 – 1991 although, Robert McNamara U.S secretary of defence (1961 – 1968) said “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!”. To an extent Robert was right, multiple times throughout the cold war tensions were extremely high between the countries that it could have erupted into a full blown war. This was evident at the standoff a Checkpoint Charlie, On October 27, 33 Soviet tanks rolled up to the Soviet fence and 10 proceeded onto Checkpoint facing off with American tanks for the first time in the cold war. Tank cannons were loaded and guns loaded ready to fire awaiting orders, which caused great tension. After a 16-hour standoff Soviet tanks stood down, followed by U.S. tanks. Although the cold war was by the book in a literal sense it does make sense why Robert said “it was a hot war” and that’s because it was heated/tense between the countries involved and this is evident with what happened at Checkpoint Charlie but also with the Nuclear arms race, space race, NATO, CIA vs KGB.
Q2) Why is the Cold War worth remembering? (Hint: you may like to use the criteria for historical significance that are listed above)
The cold war was perhaps one of the tensest and strained times in history for the western superpowers and the U.S.S.R along with the whole world. This cold war could have ended world destruction on a number of occasions. The cold war has shaped the way our world has been governed from that point on. This is evident with the nuclear arms race between the U.S.A and U.S.S.R. It was a race between the two countries attempting to make the biggest and most devastating weapons. These bombs had devastating effects as seen a Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War 2. The two bombs killed around 150,000 people on impact, along with 125,000 people injured and another 60,000 died later on due to the injuries they incurred from the bombs being dropped. Within five years 275,000 people had died from the two attacks. During the cold war Russia and the US had access to these bombs and war would have meant devastation where ever the bombs landed. If the cold war did go sour at any point the world we live in would be a very different place, maybe the world would be communist? Maybe it would lifeless, filled with devastation due to nuclear arms. The cold war needs to be remembered as a stepping stone in modern human development to what the quality of life is today in most western countries.
PART ONE:
What Was Checkpoint Charlie:
With the Berlin wall being erected in 1961 it meant east and west Berlin were separated, east controlled by Soviet Russia and West controlled by western superpowers America and England. With both sides of the wall being heavily guarded to prevent escape, the two superpowers had to have a place where they could meet. As well as allowing foreigners and officials over the boarder. This place was and is known as Checkpoint Charlie and it was located in Friedrichstadt which is a neighborhood in the heart of Berlin. Only foreigners and Diplomats were able to cross over between east and west Berlin on a maximum one-day visa, it became know as “the exchange point for spies”.
Perspectives & Implications:
There were few implications due to Checkpoint Charlie but it was the location of the biggest standoff during the cold war. On October 27, 33 Soviet tanks rolled up to the Soviet fence and 10 proceeded onto Checkpoint facing off with American tanks for the first time in the cold war. Tank cannons were loaded and guns loaded ready to fire awaiting orders, which caused great tension. After a 16-hour standoff Soviet tanks stood down, followed by U.S. tanks. This provides great perspective about how the east and west felt about each other and Checkpoint Charlie. Both the U.S. and the Soviets saw Checkpoint Charlie as a mutual point where goods can be brought in an out and a place to keep the peace and allow travel throughout both parts of Berlin.
SOURCE 1:
This source came from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/berlin-wall-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-barrier-that-divided-east-and-west-9847347.html and it was posted on the 8th of November 2014, the source is a map of Berlin during 1947-1991, when east and west Berlin were separated during the cold war. This source shows where Russia and the Western powers met face to face at Checkpoint Charlie. This is also where people were able to migrate for only 24 hours at a time from east to west.
SOURCE 2:
This source came from https://www.army.mil/article/46993 and it was posted on the 22nd of October in 2010, it is an image depicting the tensions between Russia and Western powers during the cold war. Where 20 tanks faced of at each other at Checkpoint Charlie for 16 and half hours at the height of the two countries tensions in 1961. The feud/standoff was settled after neither of the countries receiving orders to fire, the first tank was withdrawn by the Soviets. This source provides great insight into how close the U.S.S.R and the U.S.A were to war.
SOURCE 3:
This source was produced by, http://www.blog.oneholidayrentals.com/checkpoint-charlie/ and it was posted on the 20th of August 2014. This source is an image of a sign a Checkpoint Charlie, in multiple languages it says “you are leaving the American sector” which shows the divide between the east and the west of Berlin. This also shows that people were allowed to cross over from either side of Berlin, all the “tourists” needed to provide was a Visa and a Passport. Only foreigners were allowed to cross the boarder, no Germans were allowed to cross the boarder.
SOURCE 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pUmfKX3C04
This source is a video on YouTube, which was published to YouTube on the 18th of May 2009. This source is a video explaining the standoff between the U.S. and U.S.S.R providing a real insight in to how high the tensions were. “engines running cannons loaded” at any minute if a soldier lost their nerve this may have been the beginning of WW3. It also shows video of the two countries standing off which provides perhaps a little better insight than what source two does.
SOURCE 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pUmfKX3C04
This source is a video on YouTube from 1984, which films the Berlin wall and Checkpoint Charlie from the eastern side of the wall. It is filmed in Berlin during the cold war. It shows great insight into what it was like living on the eastern side of the wall. There is constantly military around, patrolling the checkpoint even though tensions had died down. This source provides a great insight as to what it was like in Berlin during the cold war.
SOURCE 6:
This source was produced by http://blog.allmyfaves.com/history/25-photos-for-25-years-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/ and it was posted on the 11th of November 2014, this source is image that provides a before and after image of Checkpoint Charlie. The location of Checkpoint Charlie is in Friedrichstadt, Berlin it depicts how Berlin has changed in over 50 years, it shows how tense things were at the height of the cold war to now, the bustling tourist destination in the heart of Berlin, that Checkpoint Charlie is now.
By Sharon M. Hanes & Richard C. Hanes
Published 2004
By Jeremy Isaacs & Taylor Downing
Published 1998 by Bantam Press
PART TWO:
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/cold-war-james-skene
PART THREE:
Q1) “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
The definition of a cold war is a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular. Which is exactly what it was between the Western Powers and the U.S.S.R from 1947 – 1991 although, Robert McNamara U.S secretary of defence (1961 – 1968) said “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!”. To an extent Robert was right, multiple times throughout the cold war tensions were extremely high between the countries that it could have erupted into a full blown war. This was evident at the standoff a Checkpoint Charlie, On October 27, 33 Soviet tanks rolled up to the Soviet fence and 10 proceeded onto Checkpoint facing off with American tanks for the first time in the cold war. Tank cannons were loaded and guns loaded ready to fire awaiting orders, which caused great tension. After a 16-hour standoff Soviet tanks stood down, followed by U.S. tanks. Although the cold war was by the book in a literal sense it does make sense why Robert said “it was a hot war” and that’s because it was heated/tense between the countries involved and this is evident with what happened at Checkpoint Charlie but also with the Nuclear arms race, space race, NATO, CIA vs KGB.
Q2) Why is the Cold War worth remembering? (Hint: you may like to use the criteria for historical significance that are listed above)
The cold war was perhaps one of the tensest and strained times in history for the western superpowers and the U.S.S.R along with the whole world. This cold war could have ended world destruction on a number of occasions. The cold war has shaped the way our world has been governed from that point on. This is evident with the nuclear arms race between the U.S.A and U.S.S.R. It was a race between the two countries attempting to make the biggest and most devastating weapons. These bombs had devastating effects as seen a Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War 2. The two bombs killed around 150,000 people on impact, along with 125,000 people injured and another 60,000 died later on due to the injuries they incurred from the bombs being dropped. Within five years 275,000 people had died from the two attacks. During the cold war Russia and the US had access to these bombs and war would have meant devastation where ever the bombs landed. If the cold war did go sour at any point the world we live in would be a very different place, maybe the world would be communist? Maybe it would lifeless, filled with devastation due to nuclear arms. The cold war needs to be remembered as a stepping stone in modern human development to what the quality of life is today in most western countries.
By James Skene